Life is so demanding. Sometimes I wonder, how do we even do it? There’s work or maybe school, kids, commuting, preparing meals, laundry, exercise classes that sometimes get skipped, and that’s just an average week. I get it, trust me. It’s so easy to get caught up in daily routines that we forget how to actually live. I don’t mean live like survive, I mean live with a purpose. After personally going through an extreme period of self-realization I knew I had to make some big changes if I ever wanted my dreams to become reality. I can tell you that it was one routine that made everything seem possible and allowed me to make every decision knowing what was right for me. Here’s how I did it:

I sat quietly for two minutes each day.

Yes, that’s it. Seriously. I used these two minutes to envision myself being happy and then dedicating my next steps to pursuing that vision.

When we are faced with a big decision, whether it’s a career change, going back to school, buying a new home, or maybe taking that much needed vacation, we usually seek advice from others around us. While it may be comforting at times to receive reassurance that the choice we are making is right, no one really knows this but you. So, instead of calling up that friend, going for coffee or maybe even dinner, try this:

Go outside, or to a quiet room with no distractions (yes, that means do not bring your phone) and sit without focusing on anything other than the choice you are facing. Forget the opinions of others and the doubts you may have, and focus on listening to what you really want and what feels right in that given moment. Now, depending on the weight of the decision it may take more than two minutes and in these cases I strongly encourage you to continue to sit. Don’t move until you have thought about it long enough to come to a realization.

So often, we have trouble making big decisions and may mull over them for days, weeks, months and in some cases even years. Is this simply because we really don’t know what to do? Or because we are afraid to make the wrong choice? By sitting with your thoughts and working through them you ensure that whatever choice you make is exactly what you want at that time.

I challenge you to try this, at least once. Try making your next decision for you, and asking yourself what feels right rather than asking others. You alone are responsible for how happy you are, and sitting quietly can open your mind up to thinking in ways you never have before. Life is so busy that we sometimes forget to listen, especially to ourselves.

Samantha Briann is a writer, motivational speaker, and student studying holistic nutrition at the Institute of Holistic Nutrition in Mississauga, ON.

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